Egg filtering and treating apparatus



y ,1941. B. a. HARRIS 2,248,077

EGG FILTERING AND TREATING APPARATUS Original Fi'led May 9, 1938 process,

I tion and cleaning off this grinding operation and Patented July 8, 1941 Q UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EGG FILIERIN 206,729, new Patent No. 2,151,760,

8, 1939. Divided and this application March '1 Claims. (Cl- 210-150) 2 20, 1939, Serial My invention relates to apparatus for the treatment of liquid egg material, particularly liquid egg whites, preparatory to drying or canning and freezing the same.

In accordance with processes of treating, for example, egg whites and the like, the eggs are removed from the shells and the yolks separated from the whites. whites, which are placed in tanks, are non-homogeneous in character, contain particles of dirt,

other undesirable material. The art has long. recognized that this product must be subjected to certain conditioning treatments in order to provide a clean, .wholesome and more uniform egg white will satisfy the demandsof 'thetrade'. Various methods of treatment havebeen susgested and employed in the prior art but all of them ,have' at least some drawbacks.

Thus, for example, it has hitherto. been proposed to pass the liquid egg material as, for example, whites, through a line strainer or filter, forcing them therethrough under pressure. This while resulting in a definite improvement in the appearance andcharacteristics of the egg material, particularly from the standpoint of. homogeneity of the resulting product, has various disadvantages, chief among which is the frequent necessity for discontinuing operathe heavy accumulation of chalazae, stringy portions, shells and the like.

conventional commercialproduct which,

G AND QUILTING APPARATUS I Benjamin 12.. Harris; 111.- Original application May s,- isss, Serial No.

The

The frequency with which such cleaning operations are required depends, of course, upon the size of the screen or filter and the amount of liquid egg material. which is passed therethrough but,'in generaLthe process possesses the definite disadvantage. indicated; Another objection to this process resides in the fact that there is considerable wastage of egg material by reason of the aforementioned accumulations on'the surface These accumulations which, when recovered, can

of said filter or contain egg material be sold only as a second-grade product.

Another-method which has been suggested is to grind the liqu'd egg material by screen.

chalazae and stringy portions and to produce auniform, homogeneous product. One of the chief disadvantages of this process is not easily orsimply carried sulting products are not as satisfactory as out and the remight be desired. For example, for some unknown reason, when liquid egg whites are subjected to subsequently fermented and then dried, the products produced 'tation followed by d are not as uniform as might expected and the process results in substantial losses by virtue of the non-uniformity of the fermentation.

Thus, two grades of dried product are produced since a substantial amount of the product cannot be considered as constituting a grade A product and must be sold at a cheaper price than of the egg whites.

- Still another method which has been to force the liquid egg material through positively acting cutting elements transversely of the line of flow of the egg material in order to comminute the membranous constituents thereof and to provide a homogeneous product. Here, again, the practice of the process still leaves something to be desired 'from the standpoint of the ple and inexpensive manner to produce uniform,

homogeneous products with enhanced foamins and beating properties.

Liquid egg whites, as removed from the shells in commercial practice, form in character and contaminated with dirt and the like but the chalazae is attached to the egg whites in such away that it is exceedingly diflicult to remove. Gravity filtering is entirely unsatisfactory since o ed up and the desired. separation of the chalazae cannot be successfully-accomplished. surprisingly enough, that by a ning-out' mechanism of the character described hereinafter, the-liquid egg whites are rendered thin and readily filterable by gravity. The operation of passing the liquid egg whites through the said hi has the important and unexpected result of causing the adherence of the chalazae to the egg whites proper to be broken has been suggested is,tomix novel system for treating which the treatment can be 7 are not only non-unithe filters are quickly may then be packed I the objects ofmy invention. In

1 Figure 1 looking in the direction of the out mechanism same.

with the result that the separation of the chalazae can be accomplished by a simple gravity filtration treatment. I prefer, however, to casproduct not so treated.

product.

the drawing, Figure 1 is a generally schematic side view of a system which embodies features of my inven-- -tion.

Figure 2-is a section along the line 2-2 of arrows.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the thinning- Figure 4 is a perspective view of the thinningout mechanism, the cover being shown in open position so that the i Figure 5 is a side tion, showing the 0f the baflie plates tank. In general, the apparatus which I employ comimpeller'm'ay be seen clearly.

manner of mounting certain in the cascading and filtering prises a tank, a thinning-out mechanism mounted upon a suitable base, driving 'means therefor, and settling and filtering means, suitable pipes or conduits serving to convey the egg material to and from the thinning-out mechanism and settling and filtering means. As shown in the drawing, numeral I comprises a supply tank having a control valve 2,'said tank being supported on a suitable standard 3. The discharge end of said tank communicates with a pipe or conduit 4 which leads to the inlet-port 6 of a thinning-out mechanism 1 driven by amctor 8, said mechanism and motor being mounted on a base 9. The outlet port I l of said mechanisin is connected through pipes l2, l3 and M to discharge the egg material into the lowerpart of a settling and filtering chamber I 6, a valve I! in the discharge .Iine serving to control or regulate the rate of discharge.

Thethinning out mechanism 1 comprises a cylindrical casing l8, preferably of a corrosion and motorv for operating the" elevation view, partly in secplates 28, 3| arate plates,

. is provided on the interior surface being machined so as to providea smooth surface free of cracks or crevices. Mounted on a'shaft l9, supported in suitable bearings, which need not be described, is an impeller arm 21, of the screw type and preferably made in one piece. As shown in Figure 4, there is a slight clearance between the interior surface of the casing 18 and the periphery of said impeller arm. The cover 22 of the mechanism is hingedly supported upon a pair of ears forming a part of the casing 18, the cover being adapted to be tightly closed through the cooperating action of a swiveled threaded bolt 23 which is adapted to fit between a set of ears 24 and 26 on the cover 22, wing nut 21 serving to efiect the tight engagement of the cover and the edge of the casing against which it abuts.

resistant alloy,

The inlet opening or port 6 of the mechanism is at approximately the center of the cover 22 and it will be seen, therefore, that the egg material is fed into the mechanism in a direction longitudinally of the axis of rotation of the impeller shaft. In other words, the axis cf the inlet opening of the mechanism is substantially parallel to the axis of the impeller shaft. Again, in this same general connection, it should be observed that the impeller, arm is mounted on said impeller shaft at substantially right angles therebe observed that the discharge of egg material from said mechanism is generally tangential to the periphery of the casing.

Reverting now to Figure 1, the cascading and settling tank It, into which the egg material discharges from the pipe I4, is generally rectangular in shape and contains a series of plates and filter members. The plates 28, 29, 3|, 32 and 33, which are in the form of shallow pans, are removabiy mounted in the tank l6, fitting against angle portions 34 fixed to the sides of the tank, said angles being provided with a series of apertures along their lengths. The plate 28 is higher than the succeeding plates and the plates 3| and 33 are inter-mediate in height between the plates 28 and 29, and 3! and 32, respectively. The

and 33 are made up of two sepspaced from each other, as will be described, but the plates 29 and 32 are each one-piece solid plates. Considering Figures 1 and 5, plate 28 is made up of an upper plate 28a and a smaller plate 28b,'spaced from each other and held in place by means of spring members which fit into apertures in the angle members 34. Said plate its rear surface with spaced hooks 280 to hold said plate against the angle 34. It .will be seen, therefore, that the plate portion mounted and that there is a space plate portions 28a and 28b, in the lower part of the tank I'B, through which egg material may pass. Plates 3| and 33 are similar to plate 2 8 and are similarly mounted. The plates 28, 29, 3|, '32 and 33 comprise a cascade cause foaming or undesirable incorporation .of air into said egg material.

After the egg material has been cascaded, t

each in the form of shallow pans,

is subjected to a filteringtreatment and. for this purpose, a series of filtering plates is disposed in the tank It. In theembodiment shown, three filtering plates ll, 39, and II are utilized, the filter openings in the filter plates 38, 39 and 4| being progressively smaller. In certain instances, I may employ only one filter plate and in other instances more than three but, for most purposes, three plates will be quite suitable. Moreover, in certain cases, I have mounted a basket or cylindrical type of strainer in the tank It in advancev of the cascade plates 28. 29, 3|,

' 32 and 33 so that the egg material receives a preliminary relatively coarse filtering whereby relatively large particles .of egg shells and the like are removed before the egg material is discharged into the tank If and cascaded and zilltered. At the bottom of the tank It, a discharge opening 42 is provided through which the treated egg material is discharged to suitable mix- ;ing tanks or the like where it may be admixed with treating materials such as salt or sugar or the like or packed into cans in which it is frozen or otherwise treated.

The operation of the described apparatus is thought clear in the light of the previous description. Briefly, however, the liquid egg material, such as egg whites, is poured into the supply tank I and the casing I8 is permitted to become filled with egg material before the operation of the impeller arm is initiated, in order to insure against do not entrap or occlude valuable and desired egg I material when the treated egg material is filtered.

It will be seen that the apparatus which I utilize is exceedingly simple and highly sanitary.

air being drawn into and whipped up with the egg material. The motor 8 is then connected to a source of current and egg material is drawn through the thinning out mechanism 1 and dis-.

charged through pipes I2, l3 and I4 into the tank I6. It then passes through and over the plates 28, 29, 3!, 32 and 33 of the cascade whereby egg shells and the like settle out. By reason of the passage of the egg material through the mechanism 'Lfsaid egg material, surprisinglyenough, becomesithin, homogeneous and readily filterable, the chalazae and shells and the like beingremovable with relative ease. Hence, the egg material may be easily filtered through the screens 38, 39 and M and said screens may be employed for substantial periods of time without the necessity for cleaning the same. The treated egg material is discharged through the outlet 42 and mayiurther be processed in any desired manner.

While the dimensions of the mechanism 1, the speed of therotation of the impeller arm, and the rate of feed of the egg material are obviously all Thus, for example, the thinning out mechanism has only a single moving part and the character of its construction is such that egg material cannot become lodged and collect in any crevices.

thereby resulting in minimum bacterial -contamination.

While, in my preferred embodiment, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, I cascade the egg material after passage through the thinning out mechanism, I may, in certain cases, filter the egg .material directly after passage therethrough. Alternatively, I may subject the egg" material to a coarse gravity straining treatment after passage through the thinning out mecharfism and prior to the cascading treatment or, again, the cascading treatment may be replaced by a conventional settling treatment after which the egg material may be filtered as desired. Instead of filtering the egg material after passage of the same through the thinning out mechanism,

I'may centrifuge the same in 'the usual imperiorate bowl centrifugal separators or similar equipment to bringabout the separation of the desired egg material from .the undesired egg shells, chalazae and the like.

My apparatus has particular utility for the treatment of liquid egg whites as they are removed from theshells and separated from the yolks. However, the apparatus may be used with definite advantages in the treatment of liquid egg yolks, liquid whole eggs, or mixtures of liquid egg whites and yolks in any proportions, as well as in the treatment of thawed-out frozen whites or egg materials to produce products having anhanced beating and foaming properties. I employ the term egg material" to mean whites, yolks, whole peller arm, and the centrifugal action caused by .the-rapid rotation thereof, though over only a subject to variation, I have obtained particularly satisfactory results by employing a mechanism, the casing diameter of which was from 8 to '10 inches, the R. P. M. of the impeller arm being about 1750, and the rate of feed of the egg material being from 50 to 120 pounds per minute- It will be understood, of course, that the egg material should not be passed too rapidly through the mechanism since the desired amount of thinning out of the egg material may not take place.

The practice of my invention brings aboutdefinite savings in operation over and above that which has been set forth hereinabove. Thus, for

example, whereas filtering of the untreated egg material, for,example, egg whites, results in an. entrapment of desirable egg .material in the chalazae which collects on the filter surface and a consequent loss of such product so far as the production-of agrade A-material is concerned, by the practice of my invention all of the available egg material present is recovered since, as stated, the chalazae are dislodged and, therefore.

period of a short time, unexpectedly result in reducing the viscosity of the egg material, dislodging the chalazae, and otherwise modifying the character of the product which reflects itself,

among other things, in improved beating and foaming properties and an enhanced utility in the baking of cakes andthe like.

my invention, as set'forth above, is to be taken as illustrative and in no sense limitative of the:

now Patent'No. 2,151,760, issued March 28, 1939.

What I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

' 1. A system for treating liquid egg material to provide a thin, homogeneous liquid egg material which includes, in combination, a supply tank for holding liquid egg material, means for thinning out said, egg material, a-conduit connecting said supply tank to the inlet opening of said means and so constructed and arranged as toprovide a gravity feed thereto, said means comprisinga generally cylindrical casing, an impeller arm mounted at substantially right angles to the axis of the shaft upori'which it is fixed for rapid rota- It will be understood thatthe description or I I tion, there being a slight clearance between the interior surface of said casing and the periphery of said impeller arm, a cascading and filtering tank, a conduit connected to the outlet openingof said aforementioned means and leading into the lower part of said cascading and ,fitering tank, a series of baflles plates in said cascading and filtering tank, said plates being spaced from each other and arranged to cause the liquid egg material to cascade whereby chalazae float to the surface and may be skimmed off and egg shells and the like settle to the bottom of said tank, and at least one removable filter screen mounted in said cascade and filtering tank following said baflle plates means comprising a generally cylindrical casing,

an impeller arm of general screw shape mounted therein for rapid rotation, there being a slight clearance between the interior surface of said casing and the periphery of said impeller arm, a cascading and filtering tank, a conduit connected to the outlet opening of said aforementioned means and leading into the lower part of said cascading and filtering tank, a series of removable baille plates in said cascading and filtering tank, said plates being spaced from each other and arranged to cause the liquid egg whites to cascade whereby chalazae float to the surface and may be skimmed off and egg shells and the like settle to the bottom of said tank, and a plurality of removable filter screens spaced from each other and mounted in said cascade and filtering tank following said bafile plates whereby chalazae and shells which are not eliminated in the cascading operation are effectively removed by said filter screens.

3. A system for treating liquid egg material to provide a thin, homogeneous liquid egg material which includes, in combination, a supply tank for holding liquid egg whites, means, for thinning out said egg material, a conduit connecting said supply tank to the inlet opening of said means whereby to provide a gravity feed to said means, said means comprising a generally cylindrical casing, an impeller arm of general screw shape mountedfor rapid rotation, there being a slight clearance between the interior surface of said casing and the periphery of said impeller arm, theaxis of the inlet opening of said means being parallel and the axis ofthe outlet opening from said means being perpendicular to the axis of the impeller shaft, a cascading and filtering tank, a conduit connected to the outlet opening of said means and leading into the lower part of said cascading and filtering tank, a series of baflle plates in said cascadingand' fil tering tank, said plates being spaced from each other and arranged to cause the liquid egg whites to cascade whereby chalazae float to the surface and may be skimmed off. and egg shells and the like settle to the bottom of said tank, and at least one removable filter screen mounted in said cascade and filtering tank following said baflle plates whereby chalazae and shells which are not eliminated in the cascading operation are effectively removed by said filter screen,

2,248,077 4. A system for treating liquid egg whites to provide a thin, homogeneous liquid egg white having enhanced beating and foaming properties which includes, in combination, a supply tank for holding liquid egg whites, means for thinning out said egg whites, a conduit connecting said supply tank to the inlet opening of said means and so constructed and arranged as to provide a gravity feed thereto, said means comprising a generally cylindrical casing, an impeller arm mounted at substantially right angles to the axis of the shaft upon which it is fixed for rapid rotation, there 'being a slight clearance between the interior surface of said casing and the periphery of said impeller arm, a cascading and filtering tank, a conduit connected to the outlet opening of said means and leading into the lower part of said cascading and filtering tank, a series of baffie plates in said cascading and filtering tank, said plates being spaced from each other and arranged to cause the liquid egg whites to cascade whereby chalazae'fioat to the surface and may be skimmed off and egg shells and the like settle to the bottom of said tank, and at least one removable filter screen mounted in's'ai'd cascade and filtering tank following said baflie plates whereby chalazae and shells which are not eliminated in the cascading operation are effectively removed by said filter screen.

5. A system for treating liquid egg whites to provide a thin, homogeneous liquid eggwhite having-enhanced beating and foaming properties which includes, in combination, a supply tank for holding liquidegg whites, means for thinning out said egg whites, a conduit connecting said supply tank to the inlet opening of said means,

said means comprising, agenerally cylindrical casing, an impeller arm mounted therein at substantially right angles to the axis of the shaft upon which it is fixed for rapid rotation, there being a slight clearance between the interior surface of said casing and the periphery of said impeller arm, and means for filtering the egg whites after they have passed through said thinning out means whereby chalazae and shells are effectively removed. I

6. A system for treating liquid egg whites to provide a thin, homogeneous liquid egg white having enhanced beating andfoaming properties .which includes, in combination, a supply tank for holding liquid egg whites, means for thinning'out said egg whites, a conduit connecting said supply tank to the inlet opening of said means, said means comprising a generally cylindrical casing, an impeller arm mounted therein at substantially right angles to the axis of the shaft upon which it is fixed for rapid rotation, there being a slight clearance between the interior surface of said casing and the periphery of said impeller arm, a cascading and filtering tank, a conduit connected to the outlet opening of said means and leading into said cascading and filtering tank, a series of removable bafiie plates in said cascading and filtering tank, said plates being spaced from each other and arranged to cause the liquid egg whites to cascade'whereby chalazae float to the surface and may be skimmed off and egg shells and the like settle -to the bottom of said tank, and at least one removable filter screen mounted in said cascade and filtering tank following said baiiie plates whereby chalazae and shells which are not eliminated in the cascading operation are effectively removedby said filter screen.

"7. A system for treating liquid egg whites to provide a thin, homogeneous liquid egg white having enhanced beating and foaming properties which includes, in combination, holding liquid egg whites, means for thinning out said egg whites, a conduit connecting said supply tank to the inlet opening of said means and so constructed and'arranged as to provide a gravity 7 feed thereto, said means comprising a generally cylindrical casing, an impeller arm mounted at substantially right angles to the axis of the shaft upon which it is fixed for rapid rotation, there being a slight clearance between the interior surface of said casing and the periphery of said impeller arm, a cascading and filtering tank, a conduit connected to the outlet opening of said means and leading into the lower part of said a supply tank for removable filter screen mounted in said cascade cascading and filtering tank, a series of baflle plates in said cascading and filtering tank, said plates being spaced from each other and arranged to cause the liquid egg whites to cascade whereby chalazae float to the surface and may be skimmed ofi and egg shells and the like settle to the bottom of said tank, at least one of said plates comprising separate shallow pans vertically spaced from each other and held in place by means of spring members, and at least one and filtering tank following said baflle plates whereby chalazae and shells which are not eliminated in the cascading operation are efiectively removed by said filter screen,

BENJAMIN R. HARRIS. 

